God has a plan and purpose for your life

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This is GOD’s man for President of the USA in 2016 but will the nation reject him. Take a look at this video and you will see why I believe Ben Carson is God’s man for this time. He understands that all that has gone before in a remarkable life of achievement has been leading up to this moment in HIS STORY. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but regardless God is in control. Will we see this nation once again reject God as it has been doing progressively as reported in the previous post “God removed from HIS  HISTORY book”?

The most momentous event in history

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ETERNAL LIFE – Take the time this Easter to consider what JESUS (second person of the Trinity) did for humanity just 2014 years ago.

His perfect LOVE, His perfect OBEDIENCE enabled His perfect OFFERING for my sins and yours. GOD the Father FORGIVES those who repent of their sins and acknowledge JESUS as their Lord and Saviour.

The evidence for the resurrection of JESUS is irrefutable. The inability of the Jewish Religious leaders to produce Christ’s body. Many people saw Christ appear (500). Many saw him not individually but together. They saw him appear not once but many times. They not only saw him but touched him, conversed with him and ate with him. Following JESUS ascension to heaven the disciples were miraculously empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (third person of the Trinity) as told by Jesus to take the GOOD NEWS to the world. The sincerity of the disciples was attested to by their suffering and death. If the disciples had not zealously done as JESUS had instructed them Christianity would have died at its birth.

Have you accepted JESUS free gift of Eternal Life? You can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to start living eternally now.

What is the Holy Spirit to you?

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Whilst Dr Walter Wilson was saved December 21st, 1896, he did not personally become acquainted with the Holy Spirit until January 14th, 1914. After he was saved, Walter had a deep love for the scriptures yet it bothered him that his life did not seem to bear spiritual fruit. In 1913 he was challenged by a missionary with the question  “What is the Holy Spirit to you?” Wilson answered “He is one of the persons of the Godhead, a Teacher, a Guide; the third person of the trinity”.

“He is just as great,” the missionary said, “just as precious, just as needed as the other two Persons  of the Trinity. But you still have not answered my question, What is He to you?”

“He is nothing to me”, Wilson said, surprised at his own candour. “I have no contact with Him, no personal relationship, and get along quite well without Him”. His visitor replied, “it is because of this that your life is so fruitless even though your efforts are so great. The missionary’s words taunted Wilson into the next year. He wanted to bear the fruit of the Spirit but feared becoming a fanatic, giving an inferior place to Jesus Christ by overly exalting the Holy Spirit. On January 14th, 1914 everything changed when Wilson heard Dr James Gray, later to become President of Moody Bible Institute preach a sermon on Romans 12:1

Gray asked, “Have you noticed that this verse does not tell us to whom we should give our bodies? It is not the Lord Jesus…..He has his own body. It is not God the Father….He remains upon His throne. Another has come to earth without a body….God gives you the privilege and indescribable honour of presenting your bodies to the Holy Spirit, to be His dwelling place on earth”.

Wilson reported later that he said to the Holy Spirit, “My Lord, I have mistreated You all my Christian life. I have treated you like a servant….I shall do so NO more. Now I give you this body of mine ; from my head to my feet……………., I hand over to YOU for YOU to live in it the life that YOU please.

Walter Wilson , the “beloved physician” often testified, “With regard to my own experience with the Holy Spirit, I may say that the transformation in my life on JAN 14th 1914, was greater , much greater than the change that took place when I was saved DEC 21st 1896.

Dr Wilson died in 1969 after a life of amazing service as a physician (1904 – 1912), General Manager (1912 – 1920) and then President (1926 -1928) of a major corporation. He founded the Kansas City Bible Institute in 1932 which became the Kansas City Bible College when he became President. He hosted a daily Bible exposition broadcast on two radio stations in Kansas City 1933-1944, one rated the most popular radio program in the area. But above all he considered Holy Spirit guided “soul winning” his prime task since handing over his life to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in 1914.

What is your answer to the question, “What is the Holy Spirit to you?”

Embrace change in 2014

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You can confidently embrace change with our unchanging God.

Our faithful, changeless Lord will show us the way to go, guide and bless our every step and provide goodness and mercy everyday of our lives.

Joshua is one of my favourite Old Testament heroes. He led Israel in at eighty years of age to take the “Promised Land”. He confidently and courageously defeated more than thirty enemy armies because he understood victory comes through faith in God and complete obedience to His word. He knew victory would not come through military might or numerical superiority.
Like Joshua let’s confess at the start of 2014 “We have never been this way before” but also like Joshua be confident that God will show us the way if we are humble and obedient, seeking to serve Him faithfully.
My scripture for 2014 will be Phillip 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Have you chosen one as yet?

EVERY ASPECT OF JESUS BIRTH & LIFE PROPHESIED

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“We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth” John 1:45
Every aspect of our Lord’s birth, life, character, ministry, arrest, trial, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension were predicted hundreds of years in advance.
We’re told he would be born of a woman (Genesis 3:15); to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); of the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:3); of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10); through the line of David (Isaiah 9:7); in Bethlehem Micah 5:2); and that HIS name would be Immanuel (God with us) (Isaiah 7:14).
The virgin birth and all the other aspects of our Lord’s life, having been accurately predicted, were wondrously fulfilled, proving His origin and identity. Jesus told His enemies to search the Old Testament Scriptures, for “these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39).
The same Bible that pinpointed His first coming is brimming with references to His return. Let’s rejoice in His virgin birth today, and await His victorious return.

Extracted from article by Dr David Jeremiah Turning Point.

Nick brings hope to Uruguay

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Nick Vujicic
God is using Nick Vujicic to introduce people around the world to the transforming power of JESUS CHRIST. I already have two posts on Nick – Nick on Oprah Winfrey’s Show and Nick in Cambodia. If you didn’t see Nick on 60 Minutes take a look on YouTube. 

On 22 October Nick arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, to talk about the freedom God has given him. Vujicic spoke boldly about the transforming power of God’s Word before politicians and journalists at Uruguay’s House of Parliament. Thousands of Uruguayans watched on television. Director of Operation Mobilization, Uruguay, Alejandro Las, was appointed as his official translator.

President Mujica also met with Vujicic and they joined in prayer as Alejandro translated.
“In the last few years it must have been the closest encounter he has had with the gospel in his life,” reflected Alejandro.
The front page of the Uruguayan newspaper the next morning proclaimed, “Vujicic Challenges Abortion Laws at Teleton”. His time at the centre for handicapped children brought a great deal of media attention, which he used to proclaim a biblical perspective on abortion.
In a press conference soon after, an OM journalist asked him about his views on separation of church and state.
Vujicic said, “When people see me, they say,“Wow Nick! We love your values; we love your attitude; we love your strength; we want your joy! But don’t tell us anything about your God. But for me you can’t separate the two. It’s only because of my faith that I have what I have.”

The streets in Montevideo were covered wall to wall with posters of Nick Vujicic. His testimony was aired on the three largest secular television channels in the country: Teledoce, Canal 4 and Canal 10.
At the Rambla, the recreational coastline of Montevideo, nearly 15,000 people stood for two hours in the chilly night air to hear what he had to say.
“If you want to know about the peace that has set me free, that will set you free, lift up your hand,” he shouted. As Alejandro fervently translated the message, a drug addict standing near the OM team raised his hand.
Another hand went up. Followed by another.
The dark sky over Montevideo’s shoreline witnessed hundreds of hands go up as individuals indicated a desire to know the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Foundation for Affirming Moral Absolutes

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Truth and Transformation
Without the cross of JESUS CHRIST the world has NO foundation for affirming moral absolutes, for calling corruption by its name – SIN.  The cross of Christ is also the only available force that can withstand and push back the storm of moral relativism that is upon us.
Thanks to the cross of JESUS, we have a firm basis – empirical, historical and philosophical for affirming moral absolutes without the same moral law condemning us. The cross does not just provide a philosophical framework for moral absolutes. It also provides the WAY to deliver us from SIN.
By the cross GOD shows us that the power He wants us to have is not the power to Lord it over others, not power to exploit and oppress, but power to sacrifice ourselves for others.
Of course, God knows we can’t do this in our own strength so He sends the third person of the Trinity, Holy Spirit to indwell all believers. The transformation of the disciples at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon them in power is the same power available to Christians today. They were able to disregard the threats of the Jewish leaders, rejoice in persecution and deliberately chose to disregard the state and continue preaching JESUS. This is real evangelism.
The author of Truth and Transformation, Vishal Mangalwadi described by Christianity Today as India’s foremost Christian intellectual is authentic. Vishal has spent time in jail in India for civil disobedience in helping the lowest caste, Dalits. He has planted churches there, is an international lecturer, social reformer, political columnist and author of fourteen books.
Truth and Transformation is a must read for anyone concerned with the state of current world events.
I like Vishal’s explanation for the rational cynicism that has now become the hallmark of secular universities. “The west has exchanged its worldview shaped by the Bible for a lie that the human mind is an accident of blind chance, no more valid than an animal brain”. Remember most of the prestigious universities in the UK and USA commenced as Christian Institutions, e.g. Oxford and Harvard.

The Tri-une nature of God is the foundation for human thinking and feeling.

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Jonathan Edwards, one of America’s greatest thinkers and theologians in “An Essay on the Trinity” from “Treatise on Grace and Other Posthumously Published Writings” (Cambridge UK 1971) provides a remarkable description of how the three persons of the trinity relate to each other.
Summary: The Father is God existing in the primal, unoriginated, most absolute manner. God the Son stands forth eternally as a work of God’s THOUGHT (thinking). And God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as an act of their JOY (feeling). They are co-eternal and equally divine.
Also John Piper in his book “Think” says it well: God’s existence as a Trinity of Persons is the foundation of human nature as head and heart, thinking and feeling, knowing and loving.
God’s “thinking” and “feeling” are deeply part of His Trinitarian being.
God made the world so He can communicate, and we his creatures receive, His glory; and that it might be received by both the mind and heart.
If we are to live as people made in the image of God to glorify Him fully, we must engage our mind in knowing Him truly and our hearts in loving Him duly.
The mind serves to know the truth that fuels the fire of the heart.

HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD

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A wonderful example of a man who lives eternally now is LOREN CUNNINGHAM, founder of YWAM (Youth With A Mission). Loren Cunningham’s dream began with a vision – waves of young people moving out across the continents announcing the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole earth.
Decades later, Loren’s vision was realised. YWAM has grown into an interdenominational movement of Christians from around the world dedicated to presenting the Gospel to their generation.
The amazing story of Youth With A Mission demonstrates that God does speak to HIS children, those who will obey Him. He does guide and provide for them in miraculous ways which not only impacts their lives but also the world to the glory of God’s Kingdom.
Loren’s book “Is That Really You God? is truly an adventure in hearing and obeying the voice of God.  As Loren  explains, hearing the voice of our heavenly Father is a basic right of every child of GOD.  Don’t make guidance complicated, says Loren. “It’s actually hard not to hear God if you really want to please and obey Him! If you stay humble, He promises to guide you. ” Proverbs 16:9.

Loren offers three simple steps that have helped him and the leaders at YWAM to hear God’s voice:

1. Submit to His Lordship – silence your own thoughts and desires and the opinions of others. Make it clear to the Holy Spirit you need to know God’s thoughts/direction.

2. Resist the enemy – use the authority Jesus has given you to silence the voice of the enemy. James 4:7, Eph. 6:10-20.

 3. Expect an answer – expect your loving heavenly Father to speak to you. He will. John 10:27, Ps. 69:13, Exod. 33:11.

Start living eternal now by listening to and obeying the voice of God. He has a plan for your life. 

Can you come to a belief in God purely from the evidence?

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There is A God by Anthony Flew

HERE IS WHAT THE WORLD’S MOST NOTORIUS ATHEIST  SAYS IN HIS BOOK.                                                                               

Professor Antony Flew, former Professor of Philosophy, Oxford University.

“Can the origins of a system of coded chemistry (DNA) be explained in a way that makes no appeal whatever to the kind of facts that we otherwise invoke to explain codes and languages, systems of communications, the impress of ordinary words on the world of matter?” p. 127
He pointed out that natural selection can’t explain the origin of first life. Ultimately, a vast amount of information is behind life, and in every other case, information requires an intelligent source, so it is only reasonable that there be a Source behind this information as well.

He is adamant that his conversion to theism does not represent a paradigm shift, because his paradigm remains simply to follow the argument where it leads.

“I must stress that my discovery of the Divine has proceeded on a purely natural level, without any reference to supernatural phenomena. It has been an exercise in what has traditionally been called natural theology. It has had no connection with any of the revealed religions. Nor do I claim to have had any personal experience of God or any experience that maybe called supernatural or miraculous. In short, my discovery of the Divine has been a pilgrimage of reason not of faith.”

“There Is No God” was published in 2007. Professor Antony Flew died in 2010 at 87, hopefully before he died he met the true God who he had discovered through Natural Theology, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.